Houston hoax leaves father fearing for daughter's life

KATY, Texas – Mike Fry posted a nearly 10-minute video on Facebook, at times getting very emotional, warning parents about a horrible hoax happening in Houston.

It’s a hoax he fell for, at least for a few terrifying minutes.  It all started with a phone call to Fry’s cellphone Thursday afternoon. 

“Saying that a family member was in a car accident and that I was listed as point of contact,” Fry told KPRC. 

The father of three said the man on the other end of phone identified himself as a paramedic and said his daughter was injured in a car crash. 

“I knew she was getting ready to go to an appointment,” Fry said.  “So, unfortunately for me, the timing was perfect.”

Frozen with fear, Fry said he listened intently but when the man on the phone started to change the story, he realized it wasn’t real. 

“He changed the story into, ‘The reason she’s in critical condition is she actually hit my son on a bike and one of my family members, out of rage, beat her,’” Fry explained.  “The man said, ‘Now we’re taking her back to our place and holding her for ransom.'”

The man demanded $5,000 and instructed Fry not to call, text or attempt to reach his daughter otherwise they would shoot her. 

“At that point I closed my eyes and said, ‘Please Lord, don’t let it be true,’ and I hung up the phone.”

It wasn’t true and Fry’s 20-year-old daughter is fine, she had been safe the whole time at her job in Katy.  

“I’ve just been an emotional wreck all day.  It was scary,” said Mackenzie Fry. 

“Still inside I was scared to death it could be true,” Fry said. 

There are dozens of reports online of similar calls coming from that same number.  

All of them demand ransom money and give a sob story about a bad car accident. 

Fry said he contacted the authorities and filed a police report; he wants others to be aware and make sure no one falls for this.  

“I felt it was important to take a few minutes and put out a message that if you get a call from this number it’s not real.”